To Win Her Hand
by Laura Kay
Summary: Dr. Cerberus stops by the mortuary to speak with the elder Spellman sister.


The world needs more Hilda/Cerberus fics. That is all.

Zelda was going over the latest curriculum report from the Academy of Unseen Arts. Since taking over as headmistress, she'd asked all instructors to provide her with a set of standards they expected their students to meet. She would not, could not, have her small coven, the only ever led by a high priestess, turned out into the world unprepared.

The doorbell rang, interrupting her work. Zelda worked from home whenever Hilda had a shift at the bookstore during the mortuary's office hours. Closing the file she was reading, she stood and smoothed the creases from her skirt. Time to put on her other hat.

But when she opened the door, it was that would-be Dracula shopkeeper who stood before her. Immediately she was alarmed. "Hilda? Is she all right? What happened?"

Dr. Cerberus held up his hands, "No, no! She's fine. She's at the store. It's actually you I wanted to see."

Zelda's heart rate slowed back to normal, and she gave him suspicious look. "Me?"

"Yes." He shifted his shoulders a bit, as if nervous, then seemed to steel himself. "I have a bit of business to discuss with you."

Zelda stayed where she was, one hand on the door jamb. "Business? You've experienced a loss recently?"

"No, other business. Ah, maybe we could go inside?"

Zelda considered refusing, but rolled her eyes and moved out of the way. Closing the front door she crossed to the office without sparing him a glance. He followed, and sat across from her as she settled herself behind the desk.

"All right then, what business can I help you with?" She hoped this wouldn't take long. "Mortal or witch affairs?" She smirked. "Or demonic?"

"I want to marry your sister." He blurted out, stunning Zelda into silence. "That is, I want to ask her to marry me." He was clearly nervous, but determined in his manner.

Zelda reached for a cigarette and her holder, desperately trying to keep her hands from shaking despite the jolt her nerves had just taken.

Dr. Cerberus continued. "I know your parents are gone, or I would have spoken with your father. But as Hilda's older sister, I wanted to ask-"

"My permission."

"Your blessing. Hilda is her own person, but she values your opinion above all."

Zelda crossed her arms and exhaled smoke as she laughed without humor. "She doesn't care what I think."

Cerberus raised his eyebrows, "She does. You know that, don't you?" He'd spent enough time around the sisters together to know that they depended on each other for more than just company or running a business. Centuries of time spent together, sharing joy and misery, raising a child, facing terrors some couldn't even imagine, made them closer than most siblings. They fought, all siblings did, but their love for each other was potent magic.

"You know mortals and witches are forbidden from marrying?"

"Yes, I do." He has prepared for this line of questioning. "But I also know your brother was given a special dispensation to marry a mortal. And I also know things are under new management, as it were." Zelda arched an eyebrow and flicked ash in a small dish on the desk. "I'm hopeful, especially at the behest of the high priestess of Hilda's coven, we might also be given permission. But even if we aren't allowed to marry, I want to make this commitment to her. To show her how much she means to me."

"I'm sure she knows," Zelda's voice was soft, despite her best effort to remain dispassionate.

"But I want to make it official. So I'd appreciate it very much if we could have your blessing. I love Hilda very much. I think she's the kindest, strongest, most amazing woman I've ever met. The world wouldn't be enough, but I promise to try to give her everything she deserves."

His earnest words were cutting through her cold exterior alarmingly quickly, but she wouldn't show it.

She let him twist for a moment longer, taking a long drag of her cigarette, maintaining eye contact.

"Please say something." He laughed quietly, nervously.

Zelda stubbed out the cigarette. "You had better give her the proposal she's been dreaming of for the last 150 years."

Dr. Cerberus's eyes grew wide. "Yes? That's a yes? Yes, I will, I promise!"

She stood up and he did the same. "You had better." She leaned forward, splaying hands on the desk. "Because if you ever hurt my sister, I will come after you. I'll make you hurt in ways you can't imagine. You'll wish for death, but it will be a long time coming." Though her face and voice were both hard as steel, he surprised her by grinning. "I assure you, I'm deadly serious."

"I know, I believe you. But I would never. And it's just...I've never had a sister before."

She hadn't considered her role in their relationship. She fumbled for a moment. She stood up straight again. "Well, I'm sure Hilda can tell you, I'm not a very good one."

He chuckled and shook his head. "You seem like the best type to me." He turned to see himself out.

Zelda watched him walk away. "You know," she called, and he stopped, turning back to her. "You know I have had brothers. Two in fact, both older than me. They could irritate me to no end. They loved to tease, challenge, pester. They doted on Hilda, too. I valued their opinion, above all."

He smiled gently, but remained silent.

"They would have liked you very much." She willed the tears prickling the back of her eyes not to show. "They would have..." She walked out from behind the desk, stood in front of him. "They would have clapped you on the back. Welcomed you to the family. Then threatened you even worse than I did." She tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Then they would have asked if you wanted a drink." She arched her eyebrow.

He hesitated, unsure if he was reading the situation correctly. "I would love a drink?"

"Lilith knows I could use one." She marched out of the room headed for the parlor. "I'll fill you in on some of the finer details of what Hilda will be hoping for," she threw over her shoulder. "Do you know where you could rent a white horse?"

Cerberus wasn't sure if this was a smart move, but he knew that it was a step in the right direction with his future sister-in-law. He straightened his back and followed her to the parlor, trying not to feel like a fly after a spider.


End file.
